Apparatus for piling metallic sheets



April 24, 1945. D. BucclcoNE 2,374,174 l v APPARATUS FOR FILING METALLICSHEETS Filed Oct. 22, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 l0 IG INVENTOR 0A/W050cc/GONE,

April 24, 1945. D. BUCClCONE 2,374,174

APPARATUS FOR FILING METALLIC SHEETS Filed Oct. 22, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet2 INVENTOR DA /P/o 50cc/GONE,

April 24, 1945. D. BucclcoNE APPARATUS FOR FILING METALLIC SHEETS FiledOCT.. 22, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTR 0,4/9/0 50cc/GONE, A

April 24, 1945. D. BucclcoNE 2,374,174

APPARATUS 4FOR FILING METALLIC SHEETS Filed oct. 2.2, 1942 4sheets-sheet 4 INVENTOR 24R/0 .50cc/GONE,

Patented Apr. 24, 1945 APPARATUS FOR. PILING METALLIC SHEETS DarioBuccicone, Gary, Ind., assignor to Carnegie- Illinois Steel Corporation,a corporation of New Jersey Application October 22, 1942, Serial No.462,997

3 Claims.

This invention relates to the piling of metallic sheets and particularlyto an improved apparatus for and method of piling the same.

In the steel industry it has been a diilicult problem to pile metallicsheets mechanically in a rapid and ecient manner without damaging thesame, especially the larger size sheets. Heretofore, various types ofpilers and conveyors have been suggested and used for piling such sheetsbut they were unsatisfactory for the reason that they tended to scratchor bend the sheets which of course was undesirable. scratching, bendingor otherwise damaging the sheets, it was impossible in the pilersheretofore suggested and used to discard substandard or damaged sheetswithout stopping the piler or conveyor system and manually removing suchtion, and at the same time apparatus which is easy and convenient touse.

It is a more specic object of this invention to provide an improvedapparatus for piling metallic sheets wherein the sheets are held in asuspended position by a magnetic means, conveyed to a predeterminedpoint while held in such suspended position and dropped and guided to apoint therebelow so that the sheets are neatly piled one on top of theother, thereby avoiding any danger of scratching and bending of thesheets.

It is a further object of my invention to provide an improved apparatusfor and method of piling metallic sheets wherein the sheets can becontinuously conveyed to any predetermined point and dropped therefromso as to be piled one on top of the other, so that the standard sheetscan be separated from the substandard sheets While the sheets are beingconveyed.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide anapparatus for piling metallic sheets wherein relatively large sheets canbe piled thereby as well as relatively `small sheets, thereby providingapparatus which is extremely ilexible in its use.

In addition to A Various other objects and advantages of this inventionwill become more apparent during the course of the followingspecification and will be particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims.

In the accompanying drawings there is shown, for the purpose ofillustration, one embodiment which my invention may assume in practice.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the improved sheet pilingapparatus of my invention;

Figure 2 is an end elevational view of the same;

Figure 3 is a plan view thereof;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line IV-IV of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a vertical section through one of the magnets in the rearend of my improved apparatus;

Figure 6 is a vertical section similar to Figure 5 through one of themagnets in the front end of my apparatus; and

Figure 7 is a wiring diagram showing how the magnets and switches areconnected in the electrical circuit.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is shown aconventional type roller conveyor 2 having rollers 3 and which issupported by legs 4. This conveyor is positioned preferably at the endof the flying shear line from which the metallic sheets are cut tolength and delivered therefrom in a. manner well known to those in thesteel industry. v

According tothe presentv invention, there is arranged at a spaceddistance above therller conveyor 2, a pair oi spaced apart rows 5 ofelectro-magnets G. The magnets 6 in each of the rows 5 are spaced fromeach other preferably by means of spacing members 1. 'Ihe spacer members1 and magnets 6 are connected to each other so as to'provide alongitudinally extending rigid unit or row of magnets. The two rows orunits 5 are supported preferably by a pair of overhanging arms 8 and thearms are in turn supported preferably by a pair of upwardly extendingstructural or I-beam members 9 arranged to one side of the rollerconveyor 2. Below the roller conveyor 2 there is arranged preferably amovablebase member I0 which supports the upwardly iextending I-beammembers 9. The base I0 is preferably mounted on wheels or rollers I2 formoving the base together with the magnets away from the roller conveyorwhen it is desired not to use the same.

Along the bottom of each of the rows or units of the magnets 6, there isarranged preferably a longitudinally extending shoe I3 which is madepreferably of brass. In other words, the shoes I3 extend throughout thelength of the rows or units 5 below the magnets 6. The brass shoes I3are held in position by the cores I4 of the magnets which extend throughthe brass shoes as shown in Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings. 'Ihe coresI4 are held in position in their respective magnets preferably by meansof cap screws I5 which extend through a hole in the top of the metalhousing I6 of the magnets 6.

There is provided a plurality of conventional rubber and fabric orleather V-belts I1 for conveying the metallic sheets along while thesheets are held in suspended position by the magnets 6. While one V-beltarranged longitudinally along each row of magnets 6 would serve thepurpose, in the present instance, there are shown two V-belts at thefront end of the rows or units 5 and only one belt at the rear endthereof. There is arranged in suitable bearing preferably at the frontend of the rows or units 5 and extending therebetween and to one sidethereof, a drive shaft I8. At the front end of each row or unit 5 anddirectly opposite thereto there is mounted on the shaft I8, a pair ofpulleys I9 over which the V-belts I1 at the front end of the apparatusare disposed. Intermediate the length of each row of magnets or units 5there is arranged a pulley 2i) around which the V-belts I1 are disposedand there is provided above each row or unit between the pulleys I9 andthe pulleys 2D thereof, an idler pulley 2| over which the V-belts alsopass. The V-belts I1 in the front part of the assembly, as shown inFigure 6 of the drawings, are disposed in V-shaped grooves or slots 22,arranged in the brass shoes I3 to either side ofthe cores I4 of themagnets, and the V-belt I1 at the rear end of the piler is disposed in aV-shaped groove arranged in the bottom of each of the cores I4 of themagnets centrally thereof, as shown in Figure 5. It will be understoodthat the bottom or outer side of the V-shaped belts I1 is disposed aslight distance below the bottom of the brass shoes i3 and the cores I4of the magnets so that the metallic sheets will not contact the shoes ormagnets directly as they are moved therealong by the v-belts. TheV-belts at the rear end of each of the rows or units 5 are disposedaround'the pulleys which drive the same and pass over and around similarpulleys 23 arranged at the extreme end of each of the rows or units 5.There is also provided an idler roller 24 arranged above each of therows or units 5v between the pulleys 20 and 23 in a manner similar tothe idler pulley 2I Any suitable means may be provided for adjusting thetautness of the belts I1. It is preferred that one of the pulleys overwhich the belts are disposed be movable so that the belts may be keptreasonably taut at all times.

On the outer end of the drive shaft I8 there is disposed preferably asprocket 25 over which a chain 26 is disposed. There is mountedpreferably on the base I0 a motor 21 having a sprocket 28 arranged onthe shaft thereof over which the chain 26 is also disposed. It will beunderstood that it is the purpose of the motor 21 to drive the V-beltsI'I through the action of chain 26, sprocket 25 and pulleys I9 and 20.The motor 21 is controlled preferably by a switch 29 and a rheostat 30arranged on the front or to one side of the pair of rows of magnets orunits 5 as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings.

Between the two rows of magnets or units 5,

l there is arranged substantially parallel thereto preferably alongitudinally extending angle-iron member 3| which is adapted to act asa trackway or guide. There is positioned on the angle-iron member ortrack 3I, a limit switch 32 which is adapted to be moved along anddisposed at any position along the trackway 3I for a purpose hereinafterto be described. There is carried by the limit switch 32 a downwardlyextending switchactuating member 33 which extends a slight distancebelow the bottom of the brass shoes I3 and the V-belts I'I as shown inFigure 1. The limit switch 32 as shown in the wiring diagram of Figure'l is disposed in the main circuit for controlling the energization ofthe magnets 6.

There is also arranged on the front or to one side of the rows ofmagnets preferably a plurality of push switches 34 for controlling theenergization of the magnets; that is, the switches are used to cut intoor out of the circuit various magnets to compensate for variable lengthsof sheets 'it is desired to convey and pile. These switches 34 arearranged in the electric circuit as shown in the wiring diagram ofFigure 7.

Directly below the rows of magnets or units 5 on the roller conveyor 2,there is suitably disposed a plurality of vertically extending sheetguides 35 for the purpose of guiding the sheets to the top of theconveyor or pile after they have been released by, and dropped from themagnets 6. In other words, there is a guide 35 positioned to either sideof the pile so as to align the sides of the sheets and to guide the sameas they are dropped from the belts i1 and there is also arranged a guide35 at either end of the pile for guiding and aligning the ends of thesheets as they are dropped from the magnets. It will be understood thatthese guides are so constructed and arranged that they may be adjustedto any desired position along the roller conveyor and to any pointbeneath the magnets. The end guides are arranged so that they may bemoved away from the end of the pile of sheets so as to permit the pileto be conveyed along the roller conveyor after a desired number ofsheets have been plled.

The improved sheet pilingapparatus of my lnvention functions in thefollowing manner. The sheets are delivered from the ying shear linepreferably over a belt conveyor 36 which is disposed directly oppositethe forward end of the row of magnets or units 5. The top of the. beltconveyor 36 is preferably spaced a slight distance below the bottom ofthe V-belts VI of my improved piling apparatus as shown in Figures l and4 of the drawings. As the sheets are delivered from the dying shear lineover the belt conveyor 36 they pass in under the electro-magnets 6, thebrass shoes I3 and the v-belts I1. The circuit to the electro-magnets 6having been closed, the magnets are now energized and the sheets as theyare delivered from the conveyor belts 36 are drawn upwardly by themagnetic force of the magnets 6 against the bottom side of the V-beltsI1. The circuit to the motor 21 having been closed and the V-belts setin operation, the sheets 4are conveyed along by the V--belts I1 whilethey are held in such suspended position by the magnets 6. Before thedelivery of the sheets to the apparatus has been started, the guides 35are set at the proper position on the roller conveyor 2 and the limitswitch 32 is positioned at the proper point along the rows of magnets.As the sheets are conveyed along the rows of magnets by the V- belts I1they successively strike the downwardly extending finger-like actuatingmember 33 of the limit switch 32 so as to open the circuit to themagnets, thereby deenergizing the same. Due to the fact that themagnetic force of the magnets no longer exists due to the deenergizationthereof, the sheets drop from the bottom of the V-belts I1 down betweenthe vguides 35 and onto the roller conveyor 2 and the top of the pile ofsheets between the guides. It will be seen that as the sheets drop fromthe V-belts l1 they are maintained in substantially a horizontal planeand drop in a perfectly flat condition upon the roller conveyor and thepile of sheets.

It will be understood that the guides 35 may be positioned at theforward end of the conveyor and the standard sheets may be made to dropon the magnets at that point. However, if the operator notices a sheetwhich is not up to standard he can close push switch 29 which cuts allof the magnets into the circuit as shown in Figure '7 of the drawings,thereby energizing the same, and maintains them in action so that themagnets will not be deenergized when such sheet strikes the actuatingiinger member 33 of the switch 32. Such substandard sheet will then becarried to the end of the rows of magnets or units by the v-belts I1 andpiled on top of the roller conveyor 2 at a point removedfrom thelocation of the pile of standard sheets.

As the result of my invention it will be seen that there is providedapparatus which is simple in its construction and use and at the sametime apparatus which neatly and efficiently piles the sheets one on topof the other. It will also be seen by the use of my improved apparatusthat the substandard sheets may be easily and conveniently separatedfrom the standard sheets and conveyed to a point removed from the pileof standard sheets without the need of manual handling the same.

While I have shown and described one specic embodiment of my invention,it will be understood that this embodiment is merely for the purpose ofillustration and description and that various other forms may be devisedwithin the scope of my invention, as deiined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. iAppar'atus for conveying metallic sheets, including longitudinallyextending magnetic means for receiving and holding the sheets in asuspended position as they are delivered thereto, said magnetic meanshaving a longitudinally extending nonmagnetic shoe at the bottomthereof, a relatively narrow longitudinally extending groove arrangedin\ the bottom of said shoe, a relatively narrow nonmagnetic conveyorbelt arranged in said groove with the lower side thereof disposed aslight distance below said magnetic means `for conveying the sheetsalong while they are held in a suspended position by said magneticmeans, means for driving said conveyor belt, and means arranged belowsaid magnetic means and said belt for receiving the sheets as they arereleased by said magnetic means.

2. Apparatus for conveying metallic sheets including a plurality ofhorizontally aligned, spaced apart, electrically energized magnets forreceiving and holding the sheets in a suspended position as they aredelivered thereto, a longitudinally extending nonmagnetic shoe at thelower end of said magnets and extending therebetween, a. relativelynarrow longitudinally extending groove arranged in the bottom of each ofsaid magnets, a relatively narrow nonmagnetic V belt arranged in andextending through the groove of each of said magnets with the lower sideof said belt positioned a slight distance below each of said magnets forconveying the sheets along while they are held in a suspended positionby said magnets, means yfor driving and means for tensioning saidconveyor belt, and means arranged below said magnets and said belt forreceiving the sheets as they are released by said magnets.

3. Apparatus for conveying metallic sheets including at least two rowsof horizontally aligned, spaced apart, electrically energized magnetsfor receiving and holding thersheets in a suspended position as they aredelivered thereto, longitudinally extending nonmagnetic shoes at thelower end of said rows of magnets and extending longitudinallytherebetween, a longitudinally extending groove arranged in the bottomof each of said magnets, a relatively narrow nonmagnetic V- beltarranged in and extending through the groove of each of said magnetswith the lower side of said belt positioned a slight distance below eachof said magnets for conveying the sheets along while they are held in asuspended position by said magnets, means for driving and means fortensioning said conveyor belt, trigger means operable by said sheets asthey are moved along t0 deenergize said magnets to release said sheets,means arranged below said magnets and said belt for receiving the sheetsas they are released by said magnets, and means to render said triggermeans ineffective whereby selected sheets will not be released abovesaid sheet receiving means.

DARIO BUCCICONE.

